Emotional Seamus Coleman pays tribute to Sligo Rovers after ...
EMOTIONAL Séamus Coleman spoke of his fondness for Sligo Rovers after Everton drew with an inexperienced Bit O’Red.
Coleman lined out for Sligo as a youth before joining the Toffees in 2009.
2
2
And his former side led for large parts of this game at the Showgrounds in front of 5,000 supporters.
First-half goals from new Rovers signing Luke Pearce and underage player Kyle McDonagh gave the League of Ireland club a shock two-goal lead at the break.
The Premier League side pulled one back early in the second half courtesy of Mason Holgate.
But Kevin Muldoon had Rovers dreaming of a famous win when he netted their third just after the hour.
The Toffees saved their bacon courtesy of a late double from striker Youssef Chermiti.
And after being mobbed for autographs and photos after the game by supporters both young and old, Ireland skipper Coleman revealed he enjoyed a special day back home.
The Donegal lad said: “I didn’t expect anything but the reception I got and it was great.
“Sligo is a real family club, like Everton and I have some great memories here.
Most read in Football
“But it is strange to be back where it all began given what’s happened in my career.
“It meant a lot to me to be able to get back to play here.”
Seamus Coleman and Katie McCabe lead Ireland men and women's footballers in landmark 'first-ever' FAI event
Not many would have expected Sligo to get close to their opponents after boss John Russell selected a number of his Under-20 squad members yesterday.
But Coleman said: “I knew they’d be strong despite that. They’re in the middle of their season and even though it was a second team, we knew they’d be fit and well up for it. It was a great test for us.”
A youthful Rovers impressed throughout, with young goalkeeper Conor Walsh a stand-out as he pulled off a string of fine stops.
The Westport-born goalkeeper saved early efforts from Michael Keane and Dwight McNeil.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin also saw an effort creep past the Sligo posts early on.
Walsh was on hand again on 27 minutes to deny Abdoulaye Doucoure’s first-time effort from a Neal Maupay cross.
But Pearce handed Sligo the lead minutes later when he cracked a first-time volley past Joao Virginia. And Sligo had their second soon after with McDonagh finishing well.
The hosts went 3-1 ahead just minutes into the second period after Pearce put Blues’ sub goalkeeper Billy Crellin under pressure.
That forced a mistake and the fell to Muldoon for an easy finish.
But the Toffees, keen to avoid defeat in front of a large following, salvaged a draw through a late Chermiti brace.
His goals came in the 85th and 86th minutes.
SUN STAR MAN
Conor Walsh (Sligo Rovers)
SLIGO ROVERS: Walsh 8 (Gabbidon 70, 6); Wilson 7, McDonagh 6, McElroy 7 (Mooney, h-t, 6), Jonathan 7; Henry-Francis 7 (Cannon 65, 7), Patton 6 (Lynch 72, 6), Barlow 6 (Malone h-t, 6), Muldoon 7 (O’Malley 70, 6); Elding 6, Pearce 7 (Lukau 65, 6).
EVERTON: Virginia 5, (Crellin h-t, 5); Coleman 6 (Chermiti h-t, 6), Keane 6 (Holgate h-t, 7), Campbell 6 (Welch h-t, 6), Doucoure 7 (Young h-t, 6); McNeil 6 (Ndiya h-t, 6), Gueye 6 (Garner h-t, 6), Onyango 6 (Iroegbunam h-t, 6), Metcalfe 6 (Dixon h-t, 6); Calvert-Lewin 5 (Harrison h-t, 7), Maupay 6 (Beto 6, h-t).
REFEREE: P McLaughlin (Monaghan) 6.
